by Ari McKay
Stone’s breath hitched. “I just want to make sure you’re taken care of if anything happens to me.” He gently caressed Luke’s cheek. “I want this to be your home. I know it ain’t nothin’ but a place, but I want it to be our place.”
“Then we’ll get that piece of paper.” Luke straddled Stone’s hips and leaned down to claim a lingering kiss, touched by Stone’s insistence on making sure he was provided for. Then again, Priss had done the same for Sarah, making sure she never had to work as someone’s housekeeper again if she didn’t want to. “And we’ll fix everything Dandy Jim broke on our ranch, and we’ll make it good as new in no time.”
“I’d like that.” Stone gazed up at Luke, his expression tender, something Luke had never seen from him before. He knew Stone held the rest of the world at a distance, and he had an idea of just how lonely Stone must have been over the years, but now Stone had let Luke in completely, and he was letting Luke see all of him, with nothing held back.
“Me too.” Luke leaned down to kiss him again, sealing the bargain. For all his teasing nature, he wasn’t about to treat Stone’s heart lightly; it was his greatest treasure, more valuable than any material possession, and he intended to take care of it so Stone would never have cause to regret letting him in.
25
“THERE you are, pretty girl.” Stone smiled as Mist daintily accepted the carrot he offered. He stroked her velvety nose and drew back as Raider nudged him insistently. He chuckled and pulled an apple out of his pocket, giving Raider his own treat and watching as the two horses trotted off across the small pasture. Mist’s belly was bulging noticeably now, even though it would be another six months or so until her foal made an appearance. In the meantime, Stone let Raider stay near her whenever he wasn’t working; the big stallion seemed to sense the foal was his, and Stone didn’t want Mist to feel lonely or neglected now that she wasn’t being ridden every day.
There were five other mares in the small, sheltered pasture, all of them expecting or recently bred, secluded from the horses ridden by the hands. This was the start of the project Luke had suggested in the spring, and Luke had selected the mares and which stallions they would be bred to. He’d taught Stone all about the bloodlines and why he’d made the selections he had, and so far, things were going well. Only time would tell, of course, but Copper Lake Ranch was slowly changing from a cattle operation to a horse farm.
A gust of wind blew past him from the west, carrying a chill that proved winter wasn’t too far away. Stone flipped up the collar of his coat and started back to the house. Hands were bustling about, leading their horses into the stable or cleaning tack while enjoying the last of the mild fall sunshine.
The new stables were bigger than the original ones, and they’d built them with extra large stalls to accommodate the pregnant mares. It had cost enough money to make Stone wince, but in the long run, he knew it would be worth it. As Luke had predicted, the price of beef at the end of the summer had been downright miserable, but they’d managed to scrape by and even make a tiny profit. Of course, that didn’t account for the cost of the stable, the replacement of the water tank, or the repairs to the windmill; only Priss’s foresight and savings had gotten them through that.
But they’d survived, and today was the one year anniversary of Stone’s arrival at the ranch. It was the day when Luke would decide if Stone had fulfilled the terms of Priss’s will and sign the papers that would tell the lawyers in Reno Stone was a fit owner. Stone would sign the papers that would give Luke half ownership of the ranch, as well as bequeathing the entire thing to Luke in the event of his death.
Stone hadn’t bothered to hide the fact that he intended to make Luke his partner in the ranch from anyone. In some ways, it actually made things easier than letting people wonder why he continued to let the “help” live in the house, a nasty question James had planted in people’s minds even before he’d found out about their real relationship. So Stone had made it known the bad luck the ranch had suffered left him short on cash, but thanks to a fictional inheritance from Priss, Luke had helped him out. Anyway, Luke knew more about managing the ranch than Stone did, so taking him on as a partner was only sensible. The townsfolk had accepted that, and any question about Luke’s presence in the ranch house was laid to rest, hopefully for good.
Despite all the work of rebuilding what James had destroyed, dealing with the disappointing cattle market, and the stress of starting up the horse breeding operation, the last six months had been the best of Stone’s life. At the end of the day, no matter how tired or frustrated he was, Luke was there for him, and they found comfort and pleasure with each other in the privacy of their home, shutting out the world and anyone who might judge them. Stone couldn’t get enough of Luke, of touching him and kissing him and driving him wild with pleasure, and Luke drove him wild in return. They slept together at night and woke up next to each other in the morning, and Stone didn’t know if he’d ever get used to the wonder of having someone who loved him, who he could love in return.
He quickened his pace as he crossed the yard, waving to the hands who called to him, but not stopping to talk. Luke was probably home by now, and Stone wanted nothing more than to hold him. They’d been apart almost all day, and Stone found himself hungering for Luke’s touch.
“Luke?” he called as he stepped into the kitchen and closed the door. “Hey, Luke! Are you home?”
A moment later, Luke sauntered into the kitchen, shirtless and barefoot, wearing only his jeans; his hair was damp, and as he moved closer, Stone caught a whiff of soap. “Here I am.” He flashed a mischievous grin. “’Bout time you got home.”
Stone’s heart beat faster, as it always seemed to do in Luke’s presence. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Luke, pulling him close and running his hands down the warm, smooth skin of Luke’s back. “I was putting Raider out with Mist.” He buried his face against Luke’s neck, inhaling deeply his clean, beloved scent. “Mmm. You smell good enough to eat.”
Luke slid his arms around Stone’s shoulders and leaned into him, relaxing easily in his arms. “Won’t bother me none if you want to take a little taste before supper,” Luke replied, a teasing note in his voice.
One of the other developments over the past few months that had added to Stone’s happiness was the return of Luke’s playfulness. Slowly, he’d begun smiling, laughing, and teasing Stone again, and now, he was the same aggravating cowboy Stone had met on his first day at Copper Lake.
Aggravating, but also sexy as hell and tempting to boot. Stone chuckled and bit down on the junction of Luke’s neck and shoulder, not hard enough to draw blood but unmistakably marking the skin. Lord help them both if anyone got a glimpse of the marks they left on each other, but they’d discovered they enjoyed playing rough sometimes and leaving small, secret signs of their pleasure. It meant they couldn’t go shirtless around the hands, but Stone didn’t mind that one bit. He reveled in knowing there was evidence of their claim on each other, even if no one else could ever see.
Luke shivered and tightened his arms around Stone, and Stone had grown attuned enough to Luke that he could already feel the telltale signs of growing arousal. “Are you interested in the main course, or you want to eat dinner?” he asked, nipping Stone’s earlobe.
Luke’s teeth on his sensitive skin made Stone gasp, and his arousal rose swiftly. “Dinner can wait,” he growled. “Charlie ain’t nearly the cook Mary was, and I think you’ll be much more satisfyin’.” It was true, too. Mary had gotten married three months before, and they hadn’t found anyone to replace her, so they were eating what the hands ate or what they cooked for themselves. He’d much rather feast on Luke than eat Charlie’s stew.
“I know how to satisfy you better’n anybody.” Luke herded Stone over to the table, nimbly working the buttons of Stone’s shirt every step of the way.
Stone went willingly, scraping his nails over the skin of Luke’s shoulders. “You’re right about that,” he gasped as his hips hi
t the table. “So what are you goin’ to do?”
“I’m goin’ to get a taste of my own,” Luke replied with a wicked smirk.
But whatever naughty plans he’d been about to torment Stone with went unspoken, interrupted by a knock on the front door.
“Oh hell.” Stone gave Luke a look of frustration. He didn’t know who might be at the door, but he knew they had to answer just in case it was an emergency. He straightened, gave Luke a swift kiss, and fastened the buttons of his shirt. “I’ll answer. You’d best get a shirt on, just in case.”
“Will do, boss,” Luke replied, clamping his hand on the back of Stone’s head and pulling him back for another kiss, nipping sharply at his bottom lip. Despite the fact that he was Stone’s partner now in every way, he still hadn’t stopped calling Stone “boss,” partly for the sake of the hands, but mostly because it seemed to be his peculiar term of endearment.
With a cheeky grin, he released Stone and sauntered away, giving Stone a good view of his jeans-clad ass as he went.
Stone watched, entranced, until another knock at the door brought him back to reality. “I’m comin’. Hang on!” he called, hurrying through the parlor to the door. He paused, drawing in a deep breath, and opened it.
Two women stood on the porch, dressed in plain but decent traveling clothes. One wore a determined expression; she had dark hair and blue eyes, and while Stone wasn’t good at placing a woman’s age, she seemed to be in her late twenties, older than Agnes, but not by much. The other woman was possibly a few years younger with blond ringlets escaping from her bonnet and soft gray eyes that looked at Stone pensively. They each held a traveling case, and from the dust on their boots and the bottom of their skirts, Stone could tell they’d walked, possibly all the way from town.
“Can I help you, ladies?” he asked, wondering what had brought them to the ranch.
The dark-haired woman spoke up. “My name is Anna Ford, and this is Susan Evans,” she replied in a dignified tone, although her accent was odd to Stone’s ears. “You must be Mr. Harrison. Mrs. Rivers sent us. She said….” For a moment, her expression held worry, but then she straightened her shoulders. “She told us you and Mr. Reynolds might have a place for us. She said you’d understand.”
Stone blinked in surprise. It took him a moment to figure out that “Mrs. Rivers” must be little Agnes, and Anna Ford’s accent must be from somewhere back East. He wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but good manners came to his rescue. “Please, won’t you come in?” he asked, stepping back and holding the door. “I’m not sure I know what she meant, but why don’t you sit for a spell and explain it to me?”
Both of the women looked relieved, as though they’d feared being turned away, and they didn’t hesitate to accept Stone’s invitation. He led them into the parlor. “Please, have a seat,” he invited, hoping Luke would come back down quickly and help him figure out what was going on.
It wasn’t long before Luke walked in, giving Stone a questioning look before turning a charming smile on their guests. “Evenin’, ladies,” he greeted them politely. “Can I get you anything? Maybe some water? Travelin’s thirsty work, I know.”
“Some water would be lovely, thank you,” Miss Ford replied, and her companion nodded, murmuring a thank you as well, although her voice was so soft it was barely audible. Stone wasn’t sure if she was shy or just very tired.
“Luke, this is Miss Ford and Miss Evans,” Stone introduced them, relieved at Luke’s quick arrival. “Miss Agnes—I mean, Mrs. Rivers—sent them to us. Ladies, this is Luke Reynolds, the ranch foreman and co-owner.”
Luke’s eyebrows shot up at that, but he refrained from blurting out whatever questions he had and went to fetch their guests some water. When he returned, he handed over the glasses with a smile and took a seat in his usual chair near Stone’s.
“How is Mrs. Rivers doing?” Luke asked. “I hope married life is suitin’ her well.”
“Mrs. Rivers is a wonderful lady, and she’s doing very well,” Miss Ford replied quickly. “In fact, I have a letter for you, from her.” She opened the case by her feet and pulled out a cream-colored envelope, offering it to Stone. “She said she’d explain things, but I suppose I should speak for us.” She glanced at the other woman, who nodded, then looked back at them. “We worked for the Rivers family in Boston. I was the housekeeper, and Susan was the cook. But Mrs. Rivers—the senior Mrs. Rivers, I mean, Miss Agnes’ mother-in-law—she….” Her voice trailed off, and her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.
“She found out we are in love.” Miss Evans spoke for the first time, and she raised her chin, apparently willing to say what her companion found difficult. “She fired us because she didn’t want a scandal if anyone else found out her servants were “perverse,” as she put it. Miss Agnes tried to put a stop to it, but nothing she said made any difference. We didn’t know what to do, but then Miss Agnes came after us and told us she knew of a place where some folks might not mind so much, and if we cared to start a new life, she knew just where we should go. So here we are.”
Things clicked into place suddenly, and Stone looked at Luke, raising a brow. “Well,” he replied slowly, wondering just what Agnes had told the women about them, since Agnes had promised to make certain their relationship was kept quiet. “That does sound like somethin’ Miss Agnes would do, don’t it?”
“It sure enough does,” Luke agreed, regarding the two women with sympathy. “As it happens, we could use a cook and a housekeeper ’round here, if you don’t mind a more simple way of life than what Boston has to offer.”
The two women looked surprised, then grateful, and Miss Ford reached out to take Miss Evans hand. “You don’t mind, then? You won’t hold it against us?” she asked, looking at Stone with a mixture of hope and fear. He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for them in Boston, if they felt their only option was to pack up and move all the way to Nevada.
“No, we don’t mind.” He looked at them with a serious expression. “That don’t mean that everyone around here feels like we do, so I wouldn’t go doin’ nothin’ in public. But my aunt, Miss Priss, lived on this ranch with the woman she loved for many years, and folks weren’t any the wiser.” He looked at Luke again, smiling wryly. “Ain’t that right, Luke?”
“That’s right. See, I helped them out a bit by lettin’ folks think me and Miss Priss were sweet on each other when ’tweren’t nothin’ further from the truth. But it let her and Sarah be together in peace.” He glanced over at Stone, his expression speculative, and Stone could practically see the wheels turning in his head. “Seems to me like maybe the four of us could help each other out.” He rose to his feet and moved to stand beside Stone’s chair, reaching out to rest his hand on the back of Stone’s neck in a gesture that was more than friendly. “What do you think, boss?”
Stone saw the eyes of the two women widen, and he smiled, reaching up to take Luke’s hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a kiss against Luke’s palm. “I think that’s a fine idea. You’re right smart, Luke, and so is Miss Agnes.” He rose from his chair, sliding an arm around Luke’s waist. “So ladies, what do you think? If you don’t mind the speculation that might be attached to your names in relation to us.”
The two ladies looked at each other. Susan nodded, a smile transforming her features into delicate beauty, and Anna grinned.
“Gentlemen, I think we could have quite a beneficial arrangement for us all.”
“Then you’re hired.” Luke mirrored her grin as he slid his arm around Stone in return.
Stone nodded in agreement. “In fact, I have an idea. We have a foreman’s house, but since the foreman lives here, it’s been sittin’ empty. How would you ladies like to have a place of your own? We can say we didn’t feel it proper for two unwed ladies to live in the same house with two unwed men, but you know people are goin’ to talk anyway.”
“Really? Our own house?” Susan rose to her feet, her eyes shining, and threw her arms around
Anna. “Oh Anna, you were right to insist on coming here! And Miss Agnes was right when she said it would be better!” She looked at Stone and Luke, smiling joyously. “Thank you both. I’m going to bake a cake for you tonight, and Anna’s going to clean everything until it shines. Aren’t you, Anna?”
“Yes, I will,” Anna replied. She was less effusive, but her smile was warm. “You won’t regret this, I promise. We’ll get started working right away.”
“Why don’t you get settled first. There’ll be time for all that later,” Stone said a trifle gruffly. He was glad they were happy, but a little embarrassed by their gratitude. “Then we can talk about your salaries and such before you dive in. The house is out back. It’s small but comfortable.”
He and Luke carried the ladies’ bags out to the house and left them already making plans for how they were going to make the place over into something beautiful. Once he and Luke were back in the house, Stone shook his head and looked at Luke with a wry smile. “Do you get the feelin’ Miss Agnes is goin’ to start sendin’ a bunch of folks out this way?”
“Probably.” Luke grinned, not seeming at all daunted by the idea. “And if she does, well, we’ll find a place for them. Copper Lake’s a big ranch, and we can always use a pair of willin’ hands somewhere.”
“True enough,” Stone agreed. And they would. The world was a hard enough place, and Stone wouldn’t make it harder for anyone Miss Agnes might send to their door. “Now let’s see about that letter she sent us. Maybe it’ll give us an idea of what we’re in for.”
Stone picked up the letter from the table where he’d left it and opened it. It was only the second letter he’d ever gotten, and considering how the first one had changed his life, he was definitely curious about this one. As he unfolded the pages, a smaller piece of paper almost fell out, but he caught it before it hit the floor, then started to read the letter out loud.